Prepare to Chair

Leading the Dissertation and Thesis Process

Gretchen Oltman, Jeanne L. Surface, Kay Keiser

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
• Year: 2019
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781475842630
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education Theory & Practice

Leading the thesis or dissertation process can be a challenging and rewarding experience. However, serving as a doctoral dissertation or master's thesis Chair is often a role assumed with very little faculty development and a lot of guesswork. Many new (and yes, even experienced) Chairs rely on the secondhand advice of seasoned faculty or on their own lived experiences as graduate students (both good and bad). This can lead to confusion, frustration, and contentious relationships. Without a chairperson who is invested and who has a clear set of best practices, both the Chair and the student are left guessing as to the best course to proceed This book provides a clear set of best practices for the dissertation or thesis chairperson by providing hands-on tools, real-life illustrations, and practical advice for any faculty member guiding and coaching the student through the thesis or dissertation process.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Preface
• Ten Questions to Ask Before Accepting Your First Chair Assignment
• Being a Chair
• Crafting of the Committee
• Planning the Dissertation with the Candidate
• Feedback and Failure
• The Ambiguity and Loneliness of the Graduate Student
• Common Writing Issues
• Problems, Delays, and Misunderstandings—Motivation and Insight
• Litigation Around the Dissertation and Thesis Process
• Preparing the Student for Defense and Graduation
• Avoiding Mistakes and Missteps
• References
• Index
• About the Authors